Blood is Too Thick
by freakyanimegal
Summary: 'BIT' sequel. His hands gripped the sink as he hurled up his stomaches contents,his skin breaking out in cold sweat. Managing to pry his eyes open he saw in the blinding light the liquid he had expelled, the crimson fluid slowly churning down the drain...
1. Chapter 1

…**.I really tried to think of something else, really. I told myself 'let it die'.**

**Then I realized they don't die. **

**Logic likes to defeat my reason.**

**And I know most people didn't want me posting another story, but this chapter was already done beforehand. That and my cousin Shelby expressed how excited she was when I told her I might write this that I just had to. -_-' Whether or not you read it I don't really mind, but this is more for my cousin and my own amusement. Still, if you did bother to click this, thank you for reading and I hope Idon't dissapoint you n.n**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"No."

They didn't know that one word could have so much power behind it, they did know, however, how stubborn the speaker could be. One of them sighed sadly and the rest of them fidgeted nervously, looking back at their leader. Lloyd stood set in his tracks, glaring at the group as he down-right refused to take another step toward the place they were approaching. They understood, really they did, but this was something they had promised to do. Nonetheless, Lloyd out-right refused to near the twisted woods behind them.

"Lloyd, look-" Raine started.

"'Look' nothing," he snarled, "I'm never going in there again, Devil's Arm or not, nothing, I repeat, _nothing_ is worth even _looking _at this place a-!"

"Maybe you should wait out here, then," Raine frowned, "We can go in and find it, you can wait in town and we'll meet you there later."

The teen fidgeted, glancing aside and then back at his friends, his eyes going up to look at the sun.

"But…it'll be dark in a few hours…" he muttered.

"What? Bud, we're not afraid of the dark-" Zelos started.

"You should be!" Lloyd snapped. "There's- there could be more things in there! Guys, please, let's just forget about it and-"

"Do you want me to stay with you, Lloyd?" Colette asked, smiling weakly.

"…"

He looked at her, her comforting smile and her sky-eyes, and that sincerity she had behind her words. How? How could she still be like that towards him after she had seen- after she had experienced first-hand- what he had become? A wave of guilt washed over him, of cowardice; Colette had just as much reason to be afraid of this place…but she wasn't putting up a fuss like he was, she was going in, brave as always.

"N- No, it's all right," Lloyd shook his head, "I'll…go in, I'm sorry for- I just-"

His eyes widened.

"Guys-!"

The group turned and Zelos put up a 'guardian' just in time to block a large furry hand-like appendage, the rest of them taking stances as the arm slid back into a coffin on the back of a coffin-master, which eyed them from the darkness. Several other monsters joined them, but the group dealt with them easily enough. They were no serious threat at this point, though it was after the battle they realized that someone was, in fact, quite shaken up.

"All right, is everyone okay-? …Lloyd?" Raine started.

Blood had splashed on the side of his face during the fight, staining his right cheek. Lloyd was shaking violently, his eyes wide and his skin pale as he tilted his head to the side, as if trying to get his own cheek as far away from him as possible. It was not possible for him to look at it, of course, but his eyes were fixated to that corner of his head, as someone would freeze and stare at a large insect that had perched on their skin.

"Lloyd? What's wrong? Are you hurt-?"

"G…Get it off me…" Lloyd stammered, barely able to speak as his shaking worsened, "Get it off…please…someone…get it…"

"What? Lloyd, what're you-? Oh!" Genis gasped. "Oh! Um…um…Does someone have a rag or something-?"

Raine took one from her pack and hastily approached Lloyd, wiping the fluid off the side of his face. He didn't move at all, just stayed frozen in place, his entire being shaking with an almost fierce intensity. The boy let out his held breath when Raine pulled away, feeling that his skin was dry. They were all staring at him, he knew that, but…but it felt like his cheek was burning, like that- that _stuff _had tainted him. He didn't even realize that he was crying until he felt something warm slide down his cheek, hastily wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"I'm…I'm okay," he forced, his voice cracking, "I'm sorry, I-"

"You're not okay," Raine said, her eyes narrowed, "You should go back to the city and try to relax, all right? We'll drop you off there and then-"

"I said I'm-!"

"I'll go with you, Lloyd," Colette said again, "If you don't want to be alone, I understand…"

Lloyd froze, eying the girl a moment before his face fell and he sighed.

"A- All right…just- just everyone be careful, okay?" he muttered.

So it was that the pair ended up alone in the large room they had gotten for the night, waiting for their companions to come back. They had barely been there ten minutes when Lloyd flinched, staring out the window.

"Lloyd? What-?" Colette started.

"The sun's going down…" he muttered.

Slowly he walked to the window, looking out into the dusk-covered city as the shadows began to dominate the landscapes, with the reds…like blood. His entire body flinched and he quickly shut the covers, turning on the lamp nearest to him. With that he went about turning on every light, shutting all the covers that let in the outside world. He didn't stop until it was done, only then realizing Colette was eying him warily, concerned.

"I…um…" the brunette trailed, glancing away from her, "I- I'm sorry, Colette, I just-"

"You look different," she frowned, biting her lip.

"W- What do you mean-?" he blurted, his hand going to his mouth.

"N- No, not that!" she cried, shaking her head frantically. "You're still- it's not that."

"O- Oh…" Lloyd sighed in relief, rubbing his head, "Then…what did you mean?"

"I…I just meant…you look a little different," Colette frowned, "You seem scared."

"I- I'm not-"

"It's okay, Lloyd, really," she said, looking up at him, "No one can blame you for-"

"Colette, you act as if you weren't even involved," Lloyd glared slightly, "If- If anyone should be upset about all of this it- it should be you. Why- Why are you even talking to me, still? I-"

"Lloyd, it wasn't your fault-"

"I _bit_ you! I bit you, Colette!" Lloyd snapped, shaking his head. "I- I did that to you and- and-"

"And you fixed everything!" she cried, frowning. "Lloyd…it all worked out! It's over now, you don't have to…you don't have to worry about it anymore."

"But…but I-" he shook, looking away from her, "It's…that's…not ever really going to be over, is it?"

"What?" Colette frowned.

He fidgeted a bit, slowly bringing his hand up to place over his heart, his fingers shaking as he felt it pulse under his ribcage, under his muscle, under his skin…a heart that wasn't his. His heart was gone, and…

"I'm…part-vampire to begin with," he muttered, "and now I've got…his heart, and he's a vampire, he's…he's one of those damn royal or 'divine' ones or whatever crap like that... So I just…I can't…"

"Lloyd-" she began, biting her lip.

"Nevermind," he said, glancing away from her.

He ran his tongue along his teeth, something that had developed into quite a habit. They were still dull, still human…that reassured him. That made him feel better, made him calm down a little…

As night fell, Lloyd also fell into slumber with it. His fits earlier had tired him, and he fell asleep- still in his clothes, jacket, suspenders, minus the gloves and boots- on a bed without even realizing he had. He drifted into sleep, into the realm of both his dreams and his nightmares…

He was falling.

Falling through nothing, though…slowly, sluggishly, his head back and his mouth gaping open as he took in slow, labored breathes. It felt as if he was falling in slow motion, that the air was thicker, that it slowed his descent, his hair flipped up around him, almost like he was in water-

Wait. ….He was in water- no, no wait, it wasn't water. But what was it? He was breathing it in, wasn't he? But it felt- no wait, he was swallowing- gulping the 'air'. It wasn't air though, but it wasn't water, if was definitely a liquid-

He recognized the taste.

His eyes snapped open and he saw red.

"Agh-!"

He sprung upright in bed, pale and beads of cold sweat breaking out on his face. A few panicked breathes and he nearly relaxed- until he hacked violently into his hand, coughing. With a groan he moved his hand away, preparing to grimace at saliva covering his palm. That didn't go quite as he expected either, seeing as what he found on his hand was more blood. His eyes widened violently, staring at the fluid that stained the skin of his palm, dripping slowly through the crevices of his hand.

"Wh…what…?" he whispered, staring at it.

He shook his head violently. He was imagining it, he could barely see as it was, the only light was from the shaded windows where the streetlights' glow was dimmed. It was just saliva, just-

He lurched again, hacking into his hand, his face scrunched up in pain as his throat rasped. When his hacking finally stopped he pulled his hand away again, seeing that his hand was drenched- yes, it was red, it was definitely red. It dripped down his lips, through his teeth, sliding down his chin as it slid down his hand.

"Oh goddess-" he whispered in horror.

Lloyd felt his body double over and without thinking scrambled out of bed, racing into the adjoining bathroom while covering his mouth with his already stained hand. His other hand flicked on the light just as he threw up into the sink, his hands clutching the side tightly as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to vomit. Once he finished he opened his eyes and saw- more blood, he'd thrown up blood? He was throwing up blood-? Why-? What was this-? No, no more, no more blood. Why? Why couldn't it just go away- no more- no more! He didn't want to see this, he didn't want-!

He threw up again, refilling the still red-stained sink. Things were getting blurry, his head hurt, he couldn't breathe. He finished and then fell onto his knees, gasping for breath, his mouth and chin stained with blood as he collapsed onto the ground, his eyes wide and blank, his skin pale. He strained for breath, his mind in a panic as his cheek pressed against the bathroom tile…

He heard shouts, and then footsteps, barely managing to look up at the still opened doorway as he saw his friends rush in. His eyes met Colette's horrified blue ones before his eyes closed and the world blacked out, leaving him unconscious on the bathroom floor with the horrid red fluid slurping down the drain with a gruttal sound, like that of a swallowing throat.

…**.Well that was fun n.n**

**Heheheheh (smirk)**


	2. Chapter 2

**God I love Halloween**

…**This could be an indication that I have problems, but I knew that already…odd**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

His head jerked back and he felt his mouth open, gaping up at the ceiling as his teeth began to ache. That horrifying familiar feeling as his canines began to lengthen, his gums burning where they connected as he felt the roots of his teeth burn like acid. His mouth dried up, the air entering his lungs almost hurting him as it went down his esophagus. A shooting pain went through his head and it began to throb, all the while he felt a desperate thirst. He felt someone's hands on his shoulders, felt their warmth, and acted before a thought even crossed his mind.

He jerked up right and grabbed the person that had been bolding him; hands around their shoulders, opening his mouth and digging his teeth into their neck. He gulped voraciously, almost hurting his throat as he ingested a mouthful of the fluid. It was so wonderful, such a godsend, the only thing that he could possibly think of or want at that second was to swallow that liquid, to feel it slide down his throat, aware of his mouth and throat muscles moving to keep the flow coming-

Then he opened his eyes.

He was sitting on his bed, still at the inn, but the room was nearly deserted aside from a presence he felt to his side and the one he held in his grasp. The golden hair pressed against his face in the darkness, suddenly all too easy to see through, and the white cloth that was slowly being stained red by the droplets that had escaped his mouth.

Oh God…it was Colette…

He tried to pull back, tried to removed his fangs from her neck, but found he couldn't muster the willpower. If he stopped, he would die, he didn't know what told him this but the core of his being told him that to stop taking in her blood he would die, that his body would fail him. Even still, he tried to fight it, all until he felt her arms wrap around him in turn and her voice, strained, whisper to him.

"It's okay, Lloyd," she whispered weakly, "Keep…drinking, you have to, okay?"

What the hell did she mean he had to? He had to stop! He was hurting her! And if- if he kept this up, as much as he was taking, she would die! He had to stop, he had to let her go, he had to…but…but he needed to do this. He needed to keep drinking, he needed….

"I'll be okay, Lloyd," her voice came again, "We'll….explain later, okay? Once you're done, but you have to keep drinking right now, okay? I'm sorry…."

He felt his will break and his body gave in to her words, continuing without any physical hesitation to feed on her. That aside, he could feel his cheeks begin to dampen and for a second he wondered with what, before he realized he was crying. The fluid leaving his eyes and the fluid entering his stomach were the only two things in existence to him for…how long exactly he wasn't sure, but slowly the rest of the world came into focus and the need to drink dwindled.

At last he withdrew his fangs from her neck, gasping for air, panting as the blood staining his mouth and fangs dripped down onto her shoulder. Unconsciously he licked the fluid off his lips, staring dumbly out at nothing.

"…Are you okay now, Lloyd?" she asked.

He flinched and drew back from her, seeing her weak smile and her sad blue eyes, her skin unhealthily pale.

"C…Colette-" he stammered, his voice raspy.

"She'll be fine, she no longer needs her own blood to survive, but she'll have to rest and replenish herself later."

Lloyd jolted and whipped his head to the side where the voice had come from, his eyes widening as he saw the figure who stood before the curtains that were lit with the streetlamps from outside, his silhouette enough to freeze one in their tracks. Kratos stood there in his usual stance, his eyes narrowed on him, but more out of concern than anything else.

"K…Kratos-? Wh- what happened? What do you mean? What's going on? Why-"

He cut off, his entire body freezing as he realized what had happened to himself. His body began to shake and slowly his tongue went up to his teeth, tracing down the long canines that were still soaked with blood.

Oh God no, no! Why was this-? This had to be some sort of nightmare! This had to…be…

"You were dying," Kratos stated simply, "Your body was rejecting your own blood, you would have died had you remained as a human."

Lloyd gasped slightly, remembering earlier when he had collapsed in the bathroom, how he had been vomiting out blood.

"Y…you mean…"

"In all likelihood it was that your human body did not accept my vampiric heart," Kratos closed his eyes, frowning, "your body most likely rejected my heart and thus any blood that passed through it was seen as 'tainted' and was rejected as well. Of course, all your blood would have passed through that heart at one point thus your body was rejecting all of it…"

"You were going to die because you were losing all your blood," Colette said softly from beside him, "We…didn't know what to do, and then Kratos showed up and.."

"I could not turn you myself, being your father," Kratos stated, "Thus I turned one of your companions to stimulate your own dormant side…and of course once you had been revived you were near death, it's natural you would need an abundance of blood immediately in order to recover."

His eyes widened, staring at his father as he felt the words sink in. It all seemed to blur in his head, like the words were drifting and crashing into each other, spiraling down into a mess-

Wait.

Turned…one of his companions…

He slowly turned to Colette, seeing her weak smile, her sad eyes.

"You bit her," he whispered, not taking his eyes off the girl, "W- why? What was the point in-?"

"My bite wouldn't have helped you," Kratos said simply, "she is not of age, but with my heart inside of your body you needed only a stimulation. She was willing."

It hit him. The reason why he'd turned Colette…was so she could bite…him.

His hand flew up to his neck, feeling it desperately, his fingers finding the holes punctured into his skin. Wincing just a bit he looked up, staring in horror at the girl who looked back at him.

"…Change her back," he said, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Pardon-?" Kratos began.

"Change her back! Change her back right now!" he shouted, whipping his head around to see him. "You- you shouldn't have done this to her! Not agai- Change her back!"

Kratos merely looked at him a moment, seemingly unfazed by his sons' outburst, his eyes going from the shouting teen laxly over to the blonde girl beside him, who was attempting to calm her friend down.

"I will, but she needs to recover from the blood loss before hand or she might die," he stated simply.

Lloyd tensed and went to shout again, feeling a growl work up his throat, a growl that turned into a hiss as it came to his mouth. He bared his fangs and hissed violently at his father, feeling his eyes burn as they gleamed red in the darkness.

"Turn her back-!" he cut off.

Slamming his hands over his mouth again, he doubled over, feeling his entire body shake, his heart beating rapidly- ….no, not his heart. His heart was gone, this heart wasn't his, this heart was the one that had done this to him, he didn't want this- he didn't want this! He didn't want to be like this!

"…Th- the others are waiting outside," Colette whispered softly, "K- Kratos said…it'd be safest if they weren't in here while- uhm-"

"I shall go tell them you've revived," Kratos interrupted curtly, turning from them. "We'll wait for the Chosen to recover before I return her to normal, then we'll leave."

"L- Leave?" Lloyd blurted, his eyes widening. "I- what do-?"

"I had assumed you would not desire to stay with your companions like this?" Kratos tilted his head slightly, though his expression kept lax.

In fact, there was something rather unnerving about that. The entire time, Kratos seemed….well he had always seemed calm anyway, but something was off. He was always calm, but he had this almost...bored expression to him now. Like everything was no big deal; it was confusing. They could tell he cared, obviously, on the things he said and how he had in fact done this to save him, but….he had this trait that almost reminded him of-

Her.

Lloyd choked and shook his head violently, feeling his shoulders begin to shake against, his lips quivering, the remaining droplets of blood dripping down onto the bed. No. No he wasn't like her. She was dead. Gone. He'd never have to see her horrid face again, and this was Kratos, this wasn't her. Kratos wasn't like her. B- Besides, he was acting a little different, was that really so shocking? After all, he was…the ruler, now..and he experienced for himself what that could do to you.

Even still…

"Leave?" he whispered under his breath. "But- but then what-?"

"…" Kratos closed his eyes, "You're going to accompany me…to a certain place."

"Kratos said there's some kind of old library that has stuff that might be able to find out how to make you human again," Colette explained, drawing his attention once more, "he told us about it when he was convincing Raine to …have you bitten again."

"Library?" he blinked. "What kind of library would have stuff about-?"

Kratos' eyes flashed open, locking on Lloyd's. The teen felt his throat constrict, the words dying in his mouth, feeling a frightened trembling spreading through his body. The former Seraph's irises were gleaming red, and the look seemed to paralyze him in mid-speech.

"I will explain when the situation is more suitable," he said simply.

Lloyd attempted to speak again, instead swallowing, nodding once. He flinched, having ingested more of the fluid through the action, the familiar taste driving up equally familiar urges. His tongue stuck out to lick his lips and he flinched, grabbing his head tightly and shaking it, muttering to himself. No. No. Not again. No. He wouldn't do it again. No matter what was going on. Not again. Not again. Not again…

"Try to relax Lloyd," Kratos' voice sighed, a familiar hidden softness working into his tone, "I know it's difficult. We'll leave as soon as I returned her to normal-"

"B- But-" Colette began, making Lloyd look up at her, "Wait- Let me go with you."

"What?" Lloyd blurted, jerking his head up, staring at her.

"I- I don't- you don't have to be alone again," she said shakily, her now-pale hands wringing on her lap, "Lloyd- let me go with you. At least I can-"

"No!" he blurted, grabbing her shoulders. "No! Are you cra-? No way, Colette! After what I did to you-"

He shook, cutting off as his eyes trailed over her pale skin, down to her red-stained neck, the holes that he had punctured into her body all too obvious to him. The smell was too obvious, the appearance, the way it flowed-

He shook his head.

"I'm not going to risk doing that to you again!"

"Th- Then keep me like this," she said, grabbing his hand.

He froze.

"What…?" his voice cracked, barely above a whisper.

"You can't hurt me if I'm like this, right? Then you wouldn't have to worry, right?" she plead, her grip tightening on his own hands.

"No," he said firmly, "No Colette, no, I'm not letting you- I don't want you to be like this again. No. You stay with the others-"

"But Kratos can turn me back at any time, right?" she said, looking back at the man.

"…I can," he nodded simply, resuming the bored expression from earlier.

No. He couldn't let this happen. He wanted her safe, that's all he had wanted this whole time, he wanted to protect her after everything she went through, but now he was just putting her through more…things. He wasn't going to do this to her again. He couldn't.

"No," he said a final time.

"But Lloyd-"

"D- Kratos, change her back," he said desperately.

"She seems set on going," he said simply, "we can leave once she recovers."

"W- what? Why-?"

Kratos locked eyes with him again and he felt himself silence, unable to pry away his eyes. Frustrated, angry and afraid he turned, his head down, his eyes locked on the comforter under his fists. He stayed like that for a few minutes, ignoring them, ignoring everything, just trying to sort out his emotions, sort out his thoughts, sort out what happened…

"It's time to leave," he heard Kratos say.

He lifted his head up just in time to see Colette collapse.

He choked, his eyes widening as he saw the blonde collapse in front of him, Kratos stand beside the bed, his hand over her. Lloyd only managed to stare before he regained control of himself, crying out for his friend in horror, reaching out to her. Kratos grabbed his wrist, holding him firmly.

"She's fine," he said simply, "when she wakes up she'll be human again."

"Y- You changed her back?" he whispered, staring at him. "But- but you said-"

"I said we can leave once she recovers, I did not say she would come," he stated simply, turning, "get your things. We're leaving."

Lloyd stared after him, numb, until Kratos walked to the shades of the window and flung them open, allowing the dull streetlights and the brighter, pale light of the moon to shine through. Lloyd choked, feeling his throat tighten again, the moonlight hitting his irises, making his pulse race, making his fingers tense up, curling into the soft material under his hand. Kratos slowly turned his head back to him, his eyes half-lidded, the irises gleaming softly as the lights silhouetted his form.

"It's time to go, Lloyden," he said.

He swallowed again; more blood trickling down his throat.

**Man that was hard…oh not to write, it was just I hit a roadblock when I was wondering whether or not to have Colette come with them, I did have something planned for her, but it just didn't seem to fit right with the feeling of the first one, which was pretty simple actually…so I exed it. Truthfully that means I'm not sure where I'm going now, but hey, I didn't know where I was going with the other one n.n' **

**So I hope you enjoyed! n.n**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3, and still not in that same mood as last year :/ (sigh) and it was such a joyously wonderful feeling writing that too .**

…**.Wow I have issues**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Lloyd winced, shifting his gaze away from the sky, holding his head down in an attempt to let the shadows cover his face, to shield his eyes from the icy moonlight. Even still he felt it, felt the light touching his body, like the barest wisp of a feather, shifting across him. It seemed to make his muscles tense, to make his pulse quicken. What an aggravating light…what an…invigorating light. He winced at the thought and barely a second later he stifled a yelp, choking as he opened his mouth, allowing room for his lengthening fangs.

"It is cloudy," Kratos' voice came from ahead, "the moon should be covered shortly."

He winced, closing his eyes, attempting to retract his fangs.

"Ugh.."

Luckily for him, the clouds did in fact move in, blocking the moonlight. Lloyd sighed in relief, casting his gaze up toward the sky, wincing slightly.

"It will take us another two nights to get there," Kratos stated from up ahead.

"Can't we just use the rheairds?" Lloyd muttered, not in a good mood in any sense of the word.

"Not when the moon is like this, it'd be bad for you if you got any closer to its light then you already have to be," Kratos stated simply, "you'll lose control."

Lloyd grunted but said nothing more, glancing back at the disappearing city on the horizon. His friends would be furious, Colette would be hurt, but it was better they stayed out of it. It was good they had stayed out of it for the most part last time, and this time he'd make sure Colette didn't have to go through anymore either.

"Perhaps tomorrow night we'll be able to use them," Kratos explained, "it'd be best if you maintained more in touch with your human side as much as possible while you have to."

"…" Lloyd frowned, eyes misted, "there's a way to …the place we're going has something that can fix me, right?"

Kratos hesitated and then sighed, nodding slightly.

"That is what I am hoping at any rate, it's our only real option."

"Wonderful," he muttered.

It could be worse he supposed…at least he wasn't stuck like this with- her. His body shuddered at the thought, yet his canines lengthened, the memory of the scent of fresh spilled blood flooding into his mind. He yelped and shook his head.

No. No he couldn't think like that, he couldn't remember it- he had to forget it. Just like this, he was going to get it over with and then forget it. Forever.

His train of thought was interrupted when a dark shadow swept over his head, diving down and landing with a soft crash right in front of him and Kratos. Lloyd choked as the bat-like creature sat before them; its wings folded to its sides as it observe him with its hellish red eyes, the hazed light from the sky glistening off its obsidian stone shell. Lloyd let out a yelp and scrambled behind Kratos, shaking, staring in horror at the bat familiar that held so many foul memories-

Then Kratos patted its head.

"W- What the-?" Lloyd choked.

"It's mine Lloyd," Kratos stated simply, glancing back at his son, "you have not forgotten that these serve…the 'king' had you not? They are loyal to me now."

Lloyd froze, pushing himself back from the man that looked down at him.

His body shuddered at his gaze, the same gleaming red eyes that she had- th- that they all had, he shouldn't be so worked up about it. Right? But…this man- this vampire- he was their king, he was. He really was the scion, the god of all those creatures and what they stood for-

No, no! He had to stop thinking that! The only reason that Kratos was like that in the first place was because he had taken his place. Kratos had sacrificed his ability to be 'human' for him…he had to remember that. Then…how was it that when- when that heart was inside of HIS chest, how was it he had completely lost his senses, whereas Kratos seemed…to still be himself?

He looked at Kratos' lax gaze, a calm, semi-arrogance to him.

Or at least…mostly himself.

"I understand how this must upset you," Kratos said, turning his head away from, him again, "but they are actually very useful…when on your side. I've had this one scouting ahead."

"Scouting ahead-? What about the other three then?" he asked nervously, glancing up at the sky for more shadows.

"They come when I call," Kratos answered simply, not bothering to elaborate, "…this one informs me there is a group of monsters ahead. We may or may not end up having to fight, but just in case, keep a look out Lloyd."

"I…y…yes," he nodded.

Kratos nodded and the bat launched itself into the air again, quickly disappearing in the dark night sky.

"…D- …Kratos," Lloyd spoke up, noting his father looked back at him, "….Why did you- that is- …how did you get back to Cruxis- like- this?"

"I don't quite understand."

He took a deep breath, attempting to form the correct words.

"I mean I just find it hard to think that Yggdrasill just was 'okay' with you coming back as a- a-"

"Vampire," Kratos said simply, "and he wasn't exactly pleased with it I assure you."

"Then- why-?"

"On the other hand it worked to my advantage," he chuckled darkly, lowering his head, "he had Pronyma 'checking in' with me on a regular basis..the wretched woman won't get close now."

A smirk worked its way into Kratos' mouth and he look back at Lloyd, his eyes glinting slightly.

"I can't understand why, she thinks I bite," he smirked.

Lloyd choked, backing up a step.

As if realizing his error, Kratos froze, his eyes fading back to their normal russet as he turned his gaze back to the path ahead, clearing his throat.

"I…apologize for that, Lloyden- Lloyd," he corrected himself again, "I did not mean to frighten you. Let's go."

And so he left without another word, leaving Lloyd staring after him warily before managing to make himself walk after him.

Crap maybe Kratos WAS losing it. Lloyd felt a shudder up his spine at the thought, obviously not liking the idea at all. N- No, it was probably just some side effects from having the heart so long. Besides, if Kratos was going to totally lose it like he had, wouldn't he have done it already?

"Lloyd," Kratos stopped, slowly drawing his sword.

Oh shit maybe he had-

"Monsters, get ready," he stated.

"W-? Y- yes!" Lloyd nodded, drawing his blades.

He saw them approach, but what was far more interesting was the scent. The smell of their flesh made their mark on his senses, he could almost hear the heartbeats, the pulses, smell the blood beneath the flesh-

No.

Focus. Fight. That was it. He had to fight and then they'd go about their business. That was all.

The monsters got within range and Lloyd dove in, slashing, trying to ignore the blood-spatter that came at his attacks, forcing his gaze onto the creatures themselves to read their movements. The smell was horrible, but it wasn't too bad, the way he struck he kept the splatter at a minimum-

He jerked as if he hit a brick wall. The smell seeming to knock him off his feet. His fangs lengthened and he let out a cry, turning his gaze instinctively to the source. That source in fact, happened to be Kratos. Though not Kratos himself.

Kratos had always been an expert fighter, always deadly, precise, and graceful. That hadn't changed, and Lloyd'd be surprised if it ever did. However, it was obvious his style HAD changed, which Lloyd realized as his eyes widened at the sight. Kratos was by no means any …slower; in fact he seemed faster, if that was even possible. Still fast, still precise, still graceful, however…while Kratos beforehand would go for 'efficiency', that was, killing them as quickly as possible, that no longer seemed to be the case. Kratos slashed away, but every action, deliberate as they were, did not follow that. Instead every attack splashed blood into the air, the cuts deliberately hitting the main blood vessels, making the pressure spurt the liquid from the falling or still moving corpses, drenching them in their own fluids. The blood seemed to rain around him, almost, the fluid jumping into the sky before splashing down, splattering on Kratos' face.

As bad as that was, it wasn't anything compared to the steady smirk on his face, his eyes slowly gleaming red.

Lloyd gaped, frozen, unable to move or react or even think. The smell and the sight paralyzing him in his tracks. The clouds shifted and the moon revealed itself, its light pouring down on the scene as the last beast fell and Kratos lifted up his sword to sheath it. He rose it up and stopped, looking over the stained sword a moment before taking a lick, slurping up the fluid as his pale face glowed in the light.

Lloyd gaped as the heart that belonged to the monster he looked at sunk in his chest.

**Much shorter than last year, but it seems to be coming good in installments like this. And I want to have this done by Halloween so…yeah it works :/**

**Hope you enjoyed n.n**


	4. Chapter 4

**usiThere seem to be more vamp!Tosness going on this year…I think I was he only one that tried a serious attempt last year, if I recall correctly. Oh well, they did get me to write this next chapter after all. **

…**Oh God does this make me a trend-setter? O.o**

**Eh, probably not (shrug)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Hope you enjoy (smirk)**

Lloyd froze, staring as his father ran his tongue along the bloodstained blade, lifting his head to the sky as he spread the fluid out over his teeth, closing his eyes to savor the taste with the air of a noble sampling fine wine. The teen felt his body shake, Kratos' heart beating within his chest, his pulse ringing in his ears.

No. No this wasn't happening. Kratos couldn't have lost control like this, no, not after he had been so calm before. Right? They had run into him a few times before this, after..she, had interfered. He had acted like he had always acted. So why? Why was he like this now? And- and-

And goddess why couldn't he get that smell out of his mind? He winced, turning his head away from the carnage, gritting his teeth together in an attempt to ignore it, but instead only brought a pressure onto his fangs, their ache for the blood intensified. Wincing again, scrunching up his face he dropped his swords, bringing his hands up to his mouth out of instinct, trying to somehow dull the pain.

"….Lloyd."

Kratos' baritone voice smoothly met his ears in the silent night air, sending a chill down Lloyd's spine. Managing to pry an eye open he looked up, his eyes meeting those of his fathers, the red glow having faded from the gaze of the god of the undead.

"You should eat something," he stated simply, "you won't able to go very long if you don't feed for the trip."

"N- No!" Lloyd shouted, stumbling back, shaking his head vehemently. "No! How can you say that? How can you-? Why did you do that-?"

"I merely tell you the truth," Kratos closed his eyes, sheathing his blade calmly, "whether or not you desire this situation the fact is you won't be able to keep your strength up if you don't feed."

"H- have you lost it?" Lloyd blurted, gaping at him in horror. "No! Never! Not again! Not again! Never, never a-!"

"You're a young one nearing eighteen, your health is jeoporadized if you do not feed enough," Kratos said, his eyes opening again to rest on Lloyd, "I know you do not want to. However, they are just monsters after all, if you don't feed on them some other scavenger will do so."

Lloyd shook his head, trying to stammer out a protest.

"B-"

"You know it smells good, Lloyden," Kratos said simply, "the more you fight it the more difficult it will become."

Lloyd stared at him, his body frozen as his fangs slipped out, aching, feeling his throat and mouth for how very dry they were. Yes- yes it smelled good- and he was so thirsty…so dry…just a little-

"NO!" Lloyd shouted, stumbling back and clutching his head. "No! NO! I won't, I won't, I won't!"

He turned and ran from him, leaving his discarded blades behind. Where he was going he didn't know, all he knew was he wanted to get away. Get away from the smell, get away from the blood, get away from Kratos, from the vampire, from the king, from his father-

No. Don't think. Just run. Run and don't look back.

He thought he heard something swoop above him, but he didn't pay it any attention. It didn't' matter what it was, he didn't care, he just wanted to get away. He wouldn't get trapped in this again. He refused to. He wasn't going to get trapped in this, he was going to get trapped like this, he wasn't going to give in and become a blood-sucking monstrosity again-!

"Ugh-!"

He tripped on a root, face-planting into the ground, dirt clinging to his face and sticking to his fangs, causing him to jolt.

"ugh-!" he cried, shaking his head, spitting, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

Ugh-! W- why- why did this feel so uncomfortable? Well of course dirt was uncomfortable on your teeth, of course, but this fault so- so bad! The particles clinging to his fangs felt like acid, burning up into his gums. Spitting, he brought his sleeve up to his mouth, rubbing it against his teeth, trying to remove the filth. He succeeded in getting most of it off, but the uncomfortable feeling still remained. It felt….degrading, almost, like …like he'd been insulted or something, for his fangs to be dirty-

Water.

He jerked his head up, the faint sound managing to register in his brain. Was it-? Yes, yes it was, he heard water. A stream.

Then the thought hit him

Would that…would that work? Would that quench the thirst that was gripping him? Would that sooth his cracked and dehydrated mouth? He'd never been given a chance to know otherwise, it was worth a shot. He had to try….it was getting unbearable, the dryness, the thirst…

He rushed for it, his eyes using the blinding moonlight to his advantage and he found it, a small brook through the woods, the fluid almost looking like a stream of oil in the darkness, its surface glinting almost like the familiar from before.

Lloyd sighed in relief and bent down next to it, watching it stream past him. He could just drink water, right? It was just water. Why wouldn't he be able to-?

A screech met his ears and he jumped about a foot, stumbling back onto the ground as one of the bats crashed down in front of him, separating him from the water, flaring out its wings at him.

"G- Get out of my way! Leave me alone you monster!" Lloyd shrieked, ignoring the partial hiss that escaped him. "out of my way!"

"Lloyd, get away from the water," Kratos' voice came, the man appearing from the shadows behind him, his face furrowed in a frown.

"Call your attack dog off!" Lloyd snapped, glaring at his father, a growl working his way up through his throat.

"Get away from the water, Lloyd," Kratos said again, his eyes narrowed, though his expression seemed to be one of more concern than anything else.

"Why! It's just water!" he snapped. "It can't hurt me!"

"Its touch won't hurt you, no," Kratos shook his head, "but you can't drink it Lloyd."

Lloyd flinched.

"W- what do you mean-? Of course I can drink it! It's water! I can-"

"No. You can't, Lloyd," Kratos stated, his voice barely a whisper. "get away from it."

"No!" Lloyd shook his head. "No! I won't do it! I won't drink blood again-!"

"Do you honestly think I'd be doing it if water quenched it, Lloyd?" Kratos snapped, growling a bit himself. "Nothing satisfies it, Lloyd, nothing except blood. Now get away from the water. Now."

Lloyd answered with a defiant glare, his lip curled up in a snarl, revealing his long canines. Kratos observed him a moment and then sighed, waving his hand, the bat stepping aside, leaving Lloyd's path to the water clear. Lloyd flinched and stared at it, then at the bat, then at Kratos, wondering what it was he was doing.

"…Try it yourself then, if you don't believe me," Kratos stated simply.

Lloyd blinked, staring at him. What? Why..he didn't like this, he didn't like it at all. What did he mean…? No, he was letting him try. What did he have to lose? If- if there was something REALLY wrong, Kratos wouldn't let him try at all, right? Right.

…Right

Lloyd swallowed, attempting to bring moisture to his dry mouth, turning his gaze back to the water. He slipped his gloves off and hesitantly slipped a hand in, bracing himself for- for something, something that would explain Kratos' behavior. Nothing. It just felt like water. It felt normal. He blinked and then slipped in his other hand, cupping the water in his pale hands and lifting it up to his mouth.

It was just water.

He swallowed and brought it to his lips, taking a big gulp-

"Ah-!" he screamed, dropping the rest of the fluid into the ground, his hands going to grip his mouth.

It burned! It burned! The water burned him! What-? How-? How was this-? No! No, no! It was just water! Just water! How could it burn him? That was ridiculous! It couldn't possibly be- No! No he didn't believe this! He shook his head and tried again, ignoring Kratos when he tried to tell him to stop, taking another gulp of water-

"AGH!" he shouted.

He doubled over, gagging and coughing, spitting, his body on reflect trying to expel it from his system. It burned, it burned! It felt like fire! Like it was eating away at his insides! He choked and gagged, falling on all fours, shaking his head, trying to brace himself against the pain. A hand was placed on his shoulder and he flinched, but found himself too preoccupied with his pain to bother reacting. After a moment, when the pain began to dull, he became aware of something pushed under his nose. His eyes snapped open, choking as the smell wafted up through his nose, causing his mind to flat-line. Every thought ceased, every image was meaningless ,except for the bloody monster heart Kratos had put before his mouth, holding it where the teen could see it clearly.

"It'll cease the pain," Kratos said simply.

Lloyd dug his fangs into it, grabbing the heart from his father and holding it up to his mouth, sucking it dry, trying to pry every last droplet from it.

Kratos stood there and watched, his eyes misted as his child gulped it down. He'd want more after this, he knew that, and the bodies were just waiting for him.

A prince had to feed properly after all.

**Okay this one I actually got into n.n Yay! :D**

**Got a week left of October….letsee if I finish it…**

…**.heh heh x3 Lloydie's thirsty**

…**I DO have issues o.O**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeaaaah….got pissed off by a vampire story I saw and decided this would be my retaliation. **

…**.Retaliating away x3**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**I'll show you who's boss, bitches**

**Lol just kidding :P hope you enjoy, cause God I will x3**

He refused to talk to him, refused to look at him, as he had done for the past two nights. Kratos had stopped attempting to speak to him, all he got was a glare and pointed look away. The young prince was mad at him, furious, and quite possibly..quite obviously, afraid. What else did he expect? What else did he think would happen? Did he think he wouldn't have to drink? Did he really? How foolish, what he was, he had to drink.

Even still, Lloyd didn't say a word to him until they reached their destination.

"What..is this?"

In the base of the mountain appeared to be a cave entrance, hidden in the dense forests and rocky terrain they had to fly over to get to. Kratos glanced at him, his eyes scanning the teen a moment before he answered.

"This is the way to the archives," he stated, "…the library that holds all the knowledge of our kind."

Lloyd tensed, trying not to dwell on the word 'our', turning his gaze back to the dark mouth of the tunnel.

"Further in is the complex," Kratos stated, walking in, the tails of his shirt swaying behind him, "keep up."

He went to ask something else, but fell silent, his displeasure with his father currently outweighing his curiosity. So for the time being he trudged along behind him, going through the seemingly endless tunnel. Nothing much seemed to be of interest, and he found his mind wandering…until he heard screeches

He jumped a bit and looked around, expecting to see one of his father's minions. Nothing met his eyes, until he decided to look up.

"They're only bats Lloyden," Kratos' voice came smoothly, not even turning to look.

He choked. Bats. Hundreds- maybe thousands- of bats lined the tunnel ceiling, all of them screeching and chirping, flapping from stalactite to stalactite, all looking down at them as they passed.

"Nigh has just fallen," Kratos explained, "They are getting reading to leave to hunt."

"T- They-" Lloyd swallowed, staring up at them, his cold body seeming to chill even more, "Are they-?"

"They're nothing but bats, they are not anything to be concerned with," he stated.

Lloyd hesitated a moment more and Kratos stopped, looking over his should back at the stunned boy. The vampiric overlord seemed to scan him a moment before he spoke, his words calm and controlled.

"You do not think that bats and vampires have any connection, do you?"

Lloyd flinched.

"I- I had thought because- but-"

"Vampires don't turn into bats Lloyd, that's ridiculous," Kratos closed his eyes with a slight 'hmph', "How would something like that be the least be dignified?"

"But- but they're-"

"Small winged mammals," he said flatly, "they eat insects and use echolocation, how does that in anyway sound like something a vampire would do?"

"B- But wait!" Lloyd shook his head, frustrated, "What about those bats you use? The stone bat-things? The familiars? How can you tell me there's no connection with bats when-?"

"The familiars are not bats," Kratos explained, his eyes flicking open again, "bats bear a resemblance to them, yes, but that is the extent of what they have in common."

Lloyd stared at him, then back up at the bats, who didn't seem to either notice or care they were there. In fact, now that he thought about it…bats were kinda cute. Aside from the wings they really didn't look like the things he had been calling 'bats'...

"Come along Lloyd," Kratos stated, turning and walking ahead again.

Feeling a twinge of relief at being called his real name instead of 'Lloyden', once more he followed after. It wasn't long before they came to what appeared to be a door, an obsidian stone slap, covering in runes and other archaic looking markings. Kratos didn't both to confirm that it was what they were looking for, instead placed his hand on the center of the slab, which had an open circle. The door slid open on its own, just as smoothly as the automated doors would in Yuan's base.

"Come," Kratos said simply, walking further in.

Lloyd tried to contain his awe as they entered, though it may have helped that it was mixed with an intense sense of foreboding. The entire place seemed to be made of obsidian and ebony, the hall they walked down decorated with markings as the door had displayed. The hall opened up into a large chamber, a high ceiling and with a width rivaling that of the inner castle's audience hall. However, what really stunned Lloyd were the rows and rows of bookcases…without a single book. Scrolls, millions of them, were packed side by side into the shelves, but again, that wasn't what stunned him.

There was the distinct smell of blood, specific, different scents, form every one of the scrolls.

"W…what…" he stammered, stunned, trying to get his mind around it.

Kratos, sensing his question, walked forward and pulled off a scroll, unrolling it for Lloyd to see.

There was nothing on it, nothing but a large smear of blood…which…was still bleeding.

Lloyd's eyes widened and his fangs flexed, making him wince before he looked back at it, expecting an explanation.

"This is not ink, as you can clearly see," Kratos frowned, "the blood imbibed on these scrolls continue to bleed, the blood holds the information, instead of words. To obtain the information one need only sample the blood."

Lloyd's eyes widened.

"…" Kratos looked away, "I can search for it on my own if you do not wish to do so. However, we'd be more likely to find it if we both were searching."

"F- Find it? What it?"

"One of these should have information on how to make you human, you aren't the first dormant-born in existence, there must be something here that will apply to your situation."

"So…" he eyed the blood warily, shifting a bit, "You drink it and…you know stuff?"

"Something like that…" Kratos closed his eyes, "You'll see for yourself if you do decide to try."

"…It will help me become human again, right?" he asked, his voice barely a nervous whisper.

Kratos nodded. The teen hesitated a moment more before nodded, swallowing a bit as he looked at the blood.

"So where do we start?" he asked hesitantly.

"The very back should have information on dormant-born," Kratos explained, rolling up the scroll. "I can start from the right side, you can take the left."

Lloyd nodded and looked down the aisles, spotting the back wall far off in the distance. It had to be a good half-mile away.

This was going to take forever, wasn't it?

Nonetheless, they headed down and then split up, Lloyd starting at the very corner of the left side, looking up at the scrolls. He swallowed, trying to calm himself, the multiple scents, each individual, all seemed to scream out their locations to him, as if begging him to open them up, to slurp up the blood-

He shook his head, wincing.

…He had to. Just this last time. Then he could be human again.

He had to.

With a deep breath he pulled off the first scroll, unrolling it and wincing as the red spot on the parchment began to 'bleed' right in front of his eyes, the stain seeming to pop from the paper, becoming liquid as it slid down toward the ground, yet strangely never seemed to drip off. Lloyd felt his lip tremble a bit before he closed his eyes, bringing the paper to his mouth and tentatively, slowly sticking out his tongue to meet it. He tasted the fluid and his body acted on its own, slurping it up the side of the page, swallowing, letting the flavor set in his mouth-

The world blacked out around him, a pulse going through his head.

Then it was chaos.

Darkness- blood- flashes of metal- blood- flashes of limbs- bodies- blades- blood! Severed limbs falling around him, blood spattering the ground, flashes of metal as blades swiped for him, cries of horror, screams of someone's name, the wail of a woman. It all hit him in a rush, a swirl, a chaotic maelstrom of cries of distress, of pain and of blood.

Then all at once it was gone, and he was back, holding the scroll in the archives.

It fell to the ground with a clatter, Lloyd bringing up his hands to hold his pulsing head. What- what was that- what?

His head jerked up.

Meltokio, during the last decline, a dormant-born girl had been robbed at him, with her mother. Her mother was murdered in front of her, all the blood had splattered on the girl, that night when the moon was full. She had grown her fangs in, and she had killed them.

Every last one of them.

And after she ate their bodies, she slit her own throat.

Lloyd shook, his eyes wide. He felt like he wanted to throw up, he felt like he wanted to cry. This was terrible- absolutely terrible- how- how could-

Wait.

…She turned into a vampire without being bitten? Without the shrine blood? How had that happened? The blood? No wait- not just the blood- there had been something about a full moon. Yes, the moon had been full, and there had been so much blood…and that had changed her? Thinking it over, he frowned. Yes. Ye that was right.

But how did that help him?

Nothing about them told him anything about how he could become human again, all it did was make him sick to his stomach.

…That meant he had to look at another one.

He froze.

No…he couldn't take that again, he couldn't look at that again. His own experiences with these things were bad enough, he didn't need or want to see anything else, to see how someone else's life was ruined, how they had- they had- become a creature, just like he had. No more, he didn't want to see anymore..

He swallowed and looked up at the scrolls, then down to his right, at the rows and rows of them that waited.

As much as he told himself that, though, he knew he was going to have to.

**Okay this is chapter five, I got next chapter planned out…hopefully will end with chapter seven on Halloween. Since I'm a loser and have no plans T.T**

**Well that aside, hope you enjoyed n.n**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay well this may or may not be the last chapter. If not, the last chapter will be a day late ****I'm sorry but I won 't be able to get to a computer on Halloween ….at least I don't think I will. Anyway, hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Lloyd leaned against the shelves, panting, blood dribbling down his chin as he struggled for a breath of air, sweat sliding down his pale skin and his face scrunched up in disgust and exhaustion.

No more, he couldn't look at another one. No more.

All of them- all of these things were- horrible. All of them, about dormant-borns like himself, how they discovered what they were, how their vampiric nature had been awakened, how they had slaughtered people, friend and foe, and then had gleefully feasted on them until the horror of the realization of what they had done had driven many of them to madness and despair. He couldn't take this anymore; hadn't his own experience been enough? Was it really necessary that he have to relive all of these poor souls' trials as well? And through it all, he still had learned almost nothing.

This was a waste of time.

There was nothing here that could help him, nothing, nothing but pain and sorrow. This was all pointless, why had he dragged him all the way here? There was nothing here that had even come close to helping him, there was nothing-

"Kratos' offspring," a voice said simply.

He jerked and whirled around, instinctively drawing back his lips, revealing his fangs in a snarl. Behind him had appeared an old man, and judging by the pale skin, he had to be a vampire of incredible age. The elder seemed apathetic to Lloyds' aggressive response, merely looking him up and down, hunched over, his hands folded behind his back.

"You are," he said simply, without a fleet of doubt, "You must be his child. I can smell your blood, I can read your features."

Lloyd tensed, his mouth closing but his eyes widening, wondering how he should react to this doddering old bat. The old man scanned him once or twice, his eyes narrowing.

"I am the script-keeper," he stated, his voice hoarse and rough, choking, "I have dwelled here since before your father's maetala was yet born, when this world still belonged to the demons of Neflhiem."

Lloyd choked, his eyes widening. She had told him of that, had told him before, after she had revealed who she was. Told him how the vampires had ruled the demons of Neflhiem, how they had prospered before the coming of mana, and again during the great war. But for this man's claim to be true, he had to be….at least ten thousand years old. Was that possible? Then…she had to have been at least four thousand herself, probably older.

"I sensed you and your father, I assume the impetuous child has finally taken up the throne?" he said. "I sensed the presence of the ruler, and it was not that of his maetala."

Not knowing how else to respond, Lloyd nodded, eying the elder warily.

"What is it you have come here seeking? You search the documents of the dormants. And with great frustration…"

"I…." he hesitated, looking at the scrolls and then back at the old man. "I'm looking for something."

"And you cannot find it, yes?" he smirked crookedly, then went into a bout of hoarse coughing, his entire body shuddering as he covered his fanged mouth. "Perhaps…you are looking in the wrong place…"

"You don't' even know what I'm looking for," Lloyd hissed slightly, his eyes narrowed.

"No but it's not here, is it?" he croaked, smirking weakly again. "If it has to do with dormants and is not in the section of the dormants, there is only one other place it may be."

His eyes widened.

"Where?"

"I shall lead you to the restricted archives, if you wish," he wheezed, eyeing him, "It is forbidden to all except for the royal family, but you fill that qualification, do you not, my prince?"

Lloyd felt his body tense again, a lump forming in his throat as he tried to swallow. To be called that- no he didn't want to be called that- but…but if this was his only shot right now…

"Yes," he said, nodding, "Please…take me there."

He wondered briefly if this was truly the best thing to do, perhaps he had better wait for Kratos before he went off like this, maybe he had found something instead. Or at least he could ask if this cryptic being was in fact what he said he was, but at the time he was willing to try anything. There had to be something that could help him, and nothing here was. There had to be something, he would try anything at this point…

"Very well, follow me my prince," the old bat slowly turned, his hunched back to Lloyd.

The teen swallowed and then nodded, walking after the archaic geezer, further away from the back wall, toward the center of the giant room. Lloyd looked around hesitantly, wondering if this was what he spoke of, all until the old vamp stopped in the center of the room, on a large circle that was inscribed with many a symbol, a crescent moon embedded inside of it.

"Where-?"

"This is it, your highness," he stated.

The old vamp turned and grabbed Lloyd by the wrist, startling the teen.

"What are you-?" he hissed, his eyes flaring red.

"Hold still your highness," he said, bringing up his nail and slicing them across Lloyd's palm.

Lloyd let out a yelp as his blood spilled onto the ground, falling into the crevices of the circle as it began to glow.

"There, we'll be there shortly."

Lloyd felt his stomach stretch out, his entire being seeming to follow as the world disappeared and then reappeared around them, appearing on a similar round etching in a different room. A warp?

"Here it is, my prince," the old man bowed his already bent head, "You may search to your content."

The room was much smaller, but still roughly the size of an inn lobby, maybe about a dozen shelves, the walls and ceiling had the same construct, but of a higher quality, and two stone familiars, inactive, sat to either side of the warp. Eyeing them warily, Lloyd thanked the old bat and stepped forward, examining the shelves.

Their smell was different….smelled more like- them. Like Kratos, like- her.

He swallowed and scanned the scrolls, trying to decide which one to take-

When he smelled the distinct scent of his father, not the similar scent of the royal line, but of his father in particular. Staring, Lloyd shuffled through the scrolls and pulled one out, putting it to his nose and taking a long whiff. Yes, it was Kratos'…but that didn't mean it was what he was looking for, did it?

Even so….

Taking a breathe Lloyd unfurled the scroll, watching as the blood came to life before him. He swallowed and closed his eyes, leaning in and, trembling, took a lick-

* * *

His fangs sunk into the corpse, the scent of blood heavy in the air, heavy everywhere, staining the ground, blowing through the wind. He drank and his eyes flitted up, where his mother stood, a small, crooked smile on her face as she looked down at him, approval in her eyes. Then he spotted movement in the trees, a survivor of the battle, a wounded soldier gaping at the scene in horror.

He lifted his head up, blinking, blood dribbling from his chin.

"Now now…what have we here?" she purred, a smirk splitting her face as she turned her head over her shoulder at the lone warrior.

"Fresh?" he asked, looking at her, unable to keep the excitement from his little voice.

"Yes my little one…" she grinned, eyes gleaming red "Fresh."

He felt a grin split his face and he stood, eyeing the horrified soldier. He dashed forward as the man tried to run, the little vampire jumping up onto his back, sinking his fangs into the mans neck, snapping his spinal cord from the force of his attack. The soldier dropped like a ton of bricks, the boy lifting his head with a grin, wiping his mouth and looking to his approaching mother.

"Maetala I did it! I killed one by myself! Aren't you proud of me?"

"Yes I am, my little one," she purred, patting his head as the child grinned, "but you need to be more gentle next time, so the blood will flow out more easily."

"Oh- okay," he grinned, nodding, "Does Maetala want to drink first?"

"That is quite all right my little darling," she cooed, though the smirk didn't leave her face, "Maetala wants to show you something before you eat, something special."

Special? His head lifted, eager, excited to see what it was his mother was to show him.

"Now my little one, I will tell you a secret," she purred, kneeling before him, stroking his face, "Did you know, little one that we did not always look like this?"

"We didn't?" He blinked.

"Not at all, little one," she kissed his forehead, "before the elves came with mana, you know what the world was, right?"

"Neflhiem," He nodded, everyone knew that.

"Yes, but back before the elves and the humans came, we had different forms," she smiled, her eyes glinting, "We took these forms so we could hunt them more easily, to trick them, to frighten them…"

"They taste better when they're scared," He nodded, smiling.

"Yes, but little one, we used to look different, and Maetala is going to show you what we looked like."

"Really?" he stared. "How?"

"It is something only we can do, my little one, only our family can do it, only royalty," she cooed, "someday you will be able to do so as well."

Eyes widening his nodded, grinning, excited to see, excited for his mother to show him. She smiled down at him and walked back away from him, turning to him as the moonlight shined down at her. She smirked and then doubled over, her body beginning to convulse, growing, dark scales and leather hide stretching over her pale features, letting out a screech as her fangs grew and her mouth, head and body grew to accommodate them. He stared, mouth open as his mother turned into a large creature, a larger, more viscous version of the familiars she employed.

He stared and then grinned, cheering as she took a step forward and nuzzled him, a strange soft growl coming from her.

"You see, my little Kratos…._this_ is what we really are..."

* * *

Lloyd staggered back, nearly falling onto the ground, choking, panting, staring in horror down at the scroll he had dropped.

No-

No way- that couldn't be- that's- that's what they really looked like? That was what those- those THINGS really were? His thoughts flashed back to the familiars, the 'bats', how they had caused them all so much trouble, their gleaming eyes, their feral fangs, the deadly, brutal attacks they would deal- and they were only…copies? Only- fakes?

His eyes drifted to the inactive familiars at the entrance, feeling his body shudder. Those monsters….and they were nothing on the real monster- the real monsters-

The vampires- the royal vampires-

His family.

If he had anything in his body to vomit, he would have thrown up right there.

**Okay, last chapter…SHOULD be able to get it up tomorrow, but will probably be late**

**That aside, hope you ejoyed.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well here it is**

**Happy Halloween!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Lloyd staggered back onto the ground, his legs giving out as he finally fell onto his hands and knees, a hand over his mouth, staring blankly in horror at the bleeding scroll on the floor. His entire body shook, aware of nothing until the elderly bat approached him.

"Just as I thought…you're a dormant, aren't you?" the old crone half croaked half hissed, "I had my suspicions, but only a dormant would have such a reaction to a mere scroll."

Lloyd flinched and looked up at the old man, his eyes widening as the elderly creature's eyes began to glow red in the darkness. The teen attempted to collect himself to properly answer, but was unable to do so before he was cut off again.

"Kratos having a dormant, feh, I'm not surprised given how much of a sick sympathy he had for prey," he snorted, eyes narrowing.

Lloyd's eyes widened, a familiar yet foreign feeling of indignity stirring within him. His shocked expression shifted from stunned to irritated, hissing lightly as he climbed to his feet.

"Don't insult me," he growled.

"So you didn't know what you were?" he said, his eyes going down to the scroll, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, identifying it by its scent. "No you didn't. So you do now. You know what we really are? What you really are?"

"I'm not one of you!" he snapped, ignoring the familiar burning in his eyes as they flared crimson. "I'm not a demon! Get lost! Leave me alone!"

"Well I could, my prince…however, there is a slight problem I have with this," the old crone muttered under his breath.

Lloyd looked at him before letting out a shout and staggering back, his eyes widening as the old man's body shifted and churned, the more monstrous, demonic form revealing itself. Lloyd gasped, his eyes widening.

"W- what? I - I thought-!"

"Thought only the royal family could do so, boy?" it lowered it head down to him, the claws on the joints of its wings digging into the floor in front of them. "I was alive before we took these forms….."

Its jaw opened and it screeched, the air forcing Lloyd to slide back, bringing his arms up to defend himself from the 'wind'.

"Why wouldn't I be able to do so, eh?" it snapped, letting out a monstrous hiss.

Lloyd's eyes widened and he barely jumped out of the way as the demon lunged forward, knocking some of the bookcases into the floor with deafening crashes, the scrolls clattering and sprawling out over the floor.

"W- What the hell are you doing-!" Lloyd cried, half horrified and half enraged.

"Kratos can spawn another brat, impurities like you should be vanquished!" it crowed and then let out another screech, snapping at Lloyd, barely missing his leg.

Lloyd scrambled back. This thing was too fast! And in this room it wasn't like he had much room to run away. Its tail came to knocked him out, the boy running behind the nearest standing obstacle, namely one of the crouched familiars.

No, damn it, no! He wasn't going to get killed by this thing- this monster! He finally managed to unsheathe his swords, trying to look around the familiar to spot an opening-

Before he even registered what had happened he hit the ground, his swords flying out of his grip and clattering on the ground several feet away, the blades scraping up the stone flooring.

"Wh-? Ugh-!"

He choked, a large foot pressed down over his body, leaving his head exposed. The vamp bore down on him, its mouth filled with large fangs, the foremost ones the more prominent. Lloyd's eyes widened and his mind raced, trying to think of something- anything, grasping around for anything in reach that he might be able to use as some sort of weapon-

His hand gripped onto the tail of one of the stone familiars.

Dammit no if only he- he needed something! He didn't want to die! He didn't want to go like this-!

The familiar. His hand tightened around its tail. If only the damn thing would move like Kratos' did! He'd take anything right now! Anything-!

The tail slipped out of his hand.

"Wh-?" he choked.

The old bat gave a choked screech just as two more screeches rang through the air, their high pitch causing Lloyd's ears to ring.

Two new screeches, which belonged to two new 'bats', though they had technically been there the entire time. The pair of them swooped in and clawed at the ancient vamps eyes, causing him to screech in pain and stagger back, giving Lloyd just enough room to wriggle out and to put some distance between himself and his attacker. Once a out of reach Lloyd turned and stared, watching as the larger demon flailed backwards, the familiars diving and scratching at it, effectively blinding the old man. One continued to harass him as the second flew to Lloyd, landing in front of him, wings folded and eyes gleaming. Lloyd managed only to stare back, stunned, as the huge monster reverted back into a frail old man, huddling up on the ground as the remaining familiar screeched and beat him with its wings, blood beginning to seep from the cuts and wounds that had been inflicted, the man's eyes nothing but bloody holes.

The teen stammered, unable to register what had happened until he saw the figure that had just arrived cross the room, grabbing the old vamp by the throat and hoisting him up into the air.

"D- Kratos-!"

Lloyd cut off, staring as his father shot a glance to him, his eyes flaring red and his face set in the most dangerous expression he had ever seen. The teen stared and fell silent, settling with watching as the king of the undead turned his attention to the battered old man in his grip.

"And just what the _hell _did you think you were doing, pray tell?" he hissed, the words themselves seeming to burn with rage.

The old man choked and Kratos' tightened his grip around his throat, squealching any excuse that may have been coming.

'How are you even still alive? You truly just don't die, do you, old man?" he growled.

"...Trai..tor…"

Kratos' grip tightened and a snap was heard, the man's head falling limp. With that Kratos dropped the corpse, kicking it aside, the tips of his fingers stained in blood from where his nails had dug into the old crones neck. The familiars swarmed onto the corpse, tearing it apart, Kratos bringing up his fingers and subconsciously licking off the blood.

"Lloyd," he turned, his eyes fading back to their normal russet," …Are you all right?"

The man walked over to him, looking the stunned teen up and down.

"I- I-"

"What were you doing up here?" he hissed. "I told you to look on that section, what were you thinking going off on your own?"

"I- I- just-"

Kratos sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead, ignoring the blood smearing onto his skin as a result of the action.

"Nevermind," he stated, "Lloyd."

"Y- Yes-?"

"I found something."

* * *

Here again.

Lloyd swallowed, his body shaking, his eyes glued onto the approaching shrine. The pillars were absent from the familiars that had perched their prior, as Kratos had them on other tasks, but nonetheless Lloyd could barley suppress the urge to scream and run away, run from the site that had manifested the darkest parts of his existence. The hell that had become a concrete instead of an abstract concept in these woods, in the shrine of blood where she had lured him..

"A- Are you sure?" he whispered, not taking his eyes off of the sight before him.

"…" Kratos closed his eyes, "The shrine blood is the only thing with potent enough vampiric essence that can control your own vampiric nature."

"You mean just like make me human? But wasn't that the problem?" he asked, half-pleading. "If I became human again I have your heart, and that was why it was killing me…if it can turn me human again then won't that still-?"

Kratos closed his eyes.

"It won't make you human again, Lloyd…not completely."

He stared at him.

"W- what? B- But that- but that was the whole point of this-!" he stammered, staring at him.

"Lloyd, calm down," he opened his eyes, glancing down at him, "The point of 'controlling' it is just that, controlling it. You should be able to suppress most of the vampiric traits, you'll be as you were after receiving my heart, though more…unstable."

"What do you mean unstable?" he whispered, staring up at him.

"…If in the event you taste blood or have a large amount of it around you, in all likelihood your vampiric side will resurface," Kratos closed his eyes.

"H- How does that help?" he blurted, his eyes widening. "That still means I can get like this again! Around my friends! If anything goes wrong I can just- become this again? I- I can't do that! I'll hurt them-!"

Kratos' gaze narrowed, the irises bleeding red again. Lloyd flinched but did not waver, swallowing, staring right back at his father.

"I know that, Lloyd, but this is the only way we have at present," Kratos stated, "If necessary, you can take some of the shrine blood with you. That way if you are stimulated again you can have some to calm yourself. It should only require a sip…."

Lloyd stared at him, then looked back at the shrine, trying to stop his body from shaking. Was this really the only way he had? Wasn't there something else? But…it could work, right? He swallowed. It could make him 'human', enough so he wouldn't hurt anyone- …as long as things went well. And if he could take it- yeah, then it'd be fine, right?

Despite all this, he still felt a bad feeling twist in his guts, looking back up at Kratos.

There had been what happened in the archives…what happened with…the scrolls. Lloyd had tried to bring up what had happened, what he saw, what he learned about…them. However, Kratos had cut him off as soon as he realized Lloyd had seen the old vamp become its demonic form. It was obvious to the king, that his son had come to learn the truth. However, he had not allowed his son to press any further. Not to say Lloyd hadn't tried, he had, but the normally intimidating Kratos had become even more difficult to argue with, having silenced Lloyd with a look that made the teen flashback to when Kratos' Maetala had had him in her clutches.

"…Kratos," he finally spoke, gathering his courage.

"Yes?"

"…"Lloyd looked at him and then swallowed, hanging his head, "That…thing he turned into."

"Sip the blood and attempt to make yourself human," Kratos cut him off, stepping forward, "the sooner you attempt it the sooner we can see if it will help you."

"But- wait- I-"

"You know about it now, what is the point?" Kratos hissed lightly, looking back at him. "It doesn't change the situation that you know what a vampire's true form is, it doesn't change your situation or the fact that something has to be done."

Lloyd hesitated. That- that was true, yes, but still- …but then…what could he ask about it? If it was true? It was, he knew it, he had seen it. The only question he could ask was the one that was sticking in the back of his mind, the one that he already knew the answer to, but the one that he couldn't bring himself to ask. Did- Did it matter? He was going to become human again, if this was really only a quick fix, then at least it would give him a way to be human again until he could find a real way. He frowned, letting out a sigh before looking up at his father, who nodded, gesturing to the shrine.

"I- are you sure?" he asked again. "This was the stuff that started all this in the first place-"

"If it doesn't give you the ability to become human again, then that's that," Kratos closed his eyes, "you're already a vampire, if you drink it and it doesn't make you human then it doesn't matter, it will have no other affect."

"…It's worth a try then, right?" Lloyd asked hesitantly.  
Kratos nodded

"A- all right," he nodded, his gaze going back to the shrine.

He swallowed once more before forcing himself forward, his feet leading him to the obsidian tiling, slowly walking up the small steps toward the main plane where the bath of blood swirled inside. His fists quivered and he clenched them, giving a determined glare down toward the mess. Slowly he knelt down and dipped his hands in, remembering when he had been pushed in, when she had emerged and pulled him down into it, pinning him to the side, sweet-talking him into drinking this vile liquid.

He closed his eyes and stifled a choke, cupping the blood in his hands and lifting it to his lips…

He drank, and as Kratos had instructed, he tried to will himself human. Tried to think of his fangs dulling, becoming human teeth, tried to think of color flushing his skin, of the sun warming his flesh, of his body being warm, of the night being clouded.

He kept his eyes slammed shut, trying to think of that, yet all the while the taste rushing through his being. The shrine blood was…was just as it had been when he had tasted it the first time as a vampire, intoxicating, overwhelming, so…delicious-

NO!

Human, human, human!

For the longest while he kept himself like that, screaming 'human' in his head…when suddenly his eyes snapped open.

"…" he blinked, his hands going to his teeth.

Then choking, spitting out the foul taste that had come to his mouth, choking, wiping it on his sleeve rapidly.

He then realized he had spit out blood.

His eyes widened and he nearly put his hands into his mouth again, stopping himself, pulling a mirror out of his pack and staring at it.

Flushed skin, brown eyes, dull teeth.

Yes…yes!

"It- It worked!" his face split into a grin, turning to his father. "D- Kratos, it worked!"

Kratos remained silent, looking at his son with an unreadable expression, but nodded, walking forward.

"You're going to need to keep some of it with you, regardless," Kratos stated, "in case you get triggered again."

Lloyd flinched and then frowned, but nodded, pushing the thought aside. Sure there was a complication- but it was more like a safety precaution, right? Right. He was human! Finally human again! He could go back! He could-

"Lloyd."

"What-?"

The teen yelped, his father pulling him forward by the collar, his blood red eyes boring down into his son's brown ones.

"D-? Kratos! What are you-?"

"Listen to me very carefully, Lloyd…you'll take one flask," he hissed, his face stern, "and you'll use that, and that alone. If you ever run out, if it's too much for you to handle, to control…"

"D…?" Lloyd whispered, his eyes wide.

"When that happens I'll come for you and take you back."

The teen choked, staring at his father, his mind drawing a blank. What? What was he saying? What did he mean? What-

He froze, his father's free hand stroking the side of his face, feathering his hair.

"My little Lloyden, my son…" he said softer, a concerned yet horribly unnerving expression on his face, "If you can't become human again I'll take you with me…I won't let you be alone, if you become like me…I won't abandon you again."

Oh shit he'd lost it. He'd seriously lost it. Lloyd's eyes widened, shaking, the regained color fleeing from his face again. Damn! What was he going to do? What could he do? He couldn't beat Kratos when he had been 'human', how the hell could he stand a chance against him now-?

Kratos dropped him.

"W-? D-? K-?" he stared.

Kratos turned away from him.

"Your friends will be waiting for you, let's go."

Lloyd shook, his mind thoroughly scrambled. What-? He-? He had been like that and then had just- dropped it again, just like that.

He had to get back to his friends and away from him as soon as possible, something was wrong here, something was very, very wrong. Hastily he slipped a flask into the pool and filled it, trying not to wince at the weakened, but still attention-grabbing smell. He quickly packed it and followed after Kratos, who was already leaving.

Thankfully, Kratos exhibited no more strange behavior the way out of the woods, though that may have been because of the wide berth Lloyd gave him. Finally out of the decaying woods, Lloyd sighed in relief, looking around, spotting the glimpse of a sunrise on the horizon. Relief washed over him, all too eager for it to rise, to feel it's warmth on his skin again…

"Remember Lloyden…"

Lloyd tensed and whirled his head around, seeing Kratos standing back in the trees, his eyes gleaming crimson as he hid in the shadows of the trees.

"Just the one flask…use it wisely…"

With that he seemed to meld back into the darkness, his form disappearing from view, Lloyd's eyes widening, a shiver shooting down his spine.

"I'll have an eye on you."

His heart racing in his chest, Lloyd swallowed and then frantically looked through his pack, locating the brown flask and pulling it out, confirming to himself it was still there-

No.

Lifting the flask up he saw the hole in the bottom, the hole spilling the fluid all over the contents of his bag. Panicking, he slammed his hand over the hole, managing to secure some of it inside.

…About two mouthfuls.

His skin paled again, a sudden, chilling gust of wind blowing past him, waving his hair as he stared in horror at the extremely limited supply of his only lifeline.

He could almost hear Kratos' voice in his head, the warning, the threat.

One flask…and then…he'd take him back.

His shook, quivering as a familiar perched from the canopy of the trees, its red eyes narrowed on him, preparing to report to its master.

The chances their prince would rejoin them had just increased greatly.

**Yeaaah….did I mention this was going to be a trilogy? I don't like uneven numbers. **

**Even so, hope you enjoyed this installment, I'm sorry if it was rushed because I wrote this TODAY….but even so I h ope you enjoyed ****Happy Halloween!**

**Lloyd's safe until next year….x3**


End file.
